Each child spends two years in Tinley class, where we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum in Reception and transition into the National Curriculum in Year 1. Our aim in Tinley class is to provide a welcoming, caring, secure and organised working environment, so that each child may develop fully, and be well prepared for Year 2 and beyond. Our approach is a blend of topic and subject-based learning, with a strong emphasis placed on the basic skills of literacy, including phonics, and numeracy. We place great importance on practical, hands-on experiences and children are free to use our outdoor space whenever possible.
In Reception and Key Stage 1, Reading is taught initially by the teaching of phonics. All children take part in a daily phonics session using the Success for All programme (Fisher Family Trust). The children are taught to associate sounds with corresponding letters of the alphabet and then use this knowledge to blend sounds together to read simple words. As well as reading and saying these sounds, they also learn how to write them. Shared and individual reading activities are also part of each day’s learning with shared readers aligned very carefully with phonics progression.
Initially, Reception children take home ‘Story Sacks’ which are designed to be shared with an adult. The sacks contain a book and other prompts to introduce children to the joys of reading. As children become more confident in their reading, they move on to a banded scheme which consists of a variety of levelled books carefully aligned with the phonics and reading that is taking place in school. Individual reading books, from the school library or the Success for All portal, are used to practise skills that have been learnt in school and to encourage a love of reading. This also provides parents with the opportunity to be active participants in their child’s learning. Books are changed on a regular basis with the expectation that each child will read at home with an adult on a daily basis, recording their progress in personal reading records.
Early Numeracy is developed by giving children a variety of opportunities to count, initially to ten, in a variety of real-life scenarios. Understanding of shape and space is developed alongside opportunities to measure and collect and order information from their environment. As children progress, addition and subtraction are taught, and problem-solving skills are developed through a range of small group and independent activities. The use of apparatus and equipment is central to mathematics and helps children to visualise and apply their learning.
Science, History and Geography are taught largely through topics. The aim of this topic-based curriculum is to capture the imagination and enthusiasm of the child, an effective foundation for learning. Ample opportunities are provided for practical activities, allowing the child to enjoy Art, DT, Computing, Music, RE, PE and Drama to the full. We place a strong emphasis on the environment and outside space, taking great pride in our school and the local area, planning enrichment opportunities whenever possible.
The Summer Term theme of learning in Tinley is School Days.
We will be learning about our own school and locality, both today and in the past. We will compare schooling in the Victorian era to our own experiences today.
In English, for the first part of the Summer Term, our key text will be The Secret Sky Garden by Linda Sarah.
In Maths, we will be learning about the numbers to 100, halves and quarters, time and money.
Our Science focus is Plant Parts and Animal Parts where we will learn about animals, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates, identify and describe their common structures, diets, and how animals should be cared for.
We will also be making sandwiches and creating a mural.
20th June 2023
Victorian School and Pond Dipping at Horton Kirby
Tinley class had a fabulous day at Horton Kirby where they found out what it was like to be at school in Victorian times. This included exercises in the playground, a clean hand check, lessons and even finding out what punishments were given!
Victorian playground games were surprisingly similar to ours.
The afternoon was spent pond dipping. The children found two newts and dragonfly larvae amongst other things.
